So, you are driving along on a sunny day, enjoying that new Toyota Camry of yours, and suddenly the “check engine” light comes on.  Your sunny day suddenly has storm clouds forming.

Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a driver like the “check engine” light.  And do you know why?  It’s because it is a journey into the great unknown for most car owners.  Let’s face it, most car owners in the year 2014 don’t have a clue how an internal combustion engine works, let alone what to do about it should it break down….and then there is the replacement and repair costs, and we all know how expensive that will be.

But it doesn’t have to be expensive.  In fact, it doesn’t have to be frightening.

You can become one of millions who are turning to DIY car repair, and saving hundreds of dollars by doing so.

So back to the “check engine” light.  What does it mean?  It could mean you need a new distributor. It could mean you need a new crankshaft, or cylinder head, or drive belt, air intake manifold, oil filter, or a hundred other different parts.  Are those parts expensive?  Some are…some are not.  What is expensive no matter which part on your Toyota Corolla needs replacing, is the mechanic labor charge.  You can plan on paying, on average, $75 per hour for mechanic work, and the simplest labor job will take one hour; the complicated repair jobs can take three or four hours.  That’s $300 in labor alone, not to mention the cost of the replacement parts.

How many out there have that kind of spare change?

That’s what we thought, and that’s why we suggest you start doing your car repairs yourself.

Here’s what you do the next time your Toyota Prius needs a new engine part.

Go to your local salvage yard, a place like All Import Auto Parts, and pick up the Toyota replacement part that you need.  When you do that, you will save upwards of 50% on the cost of the replacement part.

Then take that part home and install it yourself.  If you can’t follow the simple YouTube tutorials online, then offer your neighbor a six-pack of beer to help you, or bribe your daughter’s boyfriend into helping you.  By following this logical path to car repair, you will have that distributor replaced for around fifty bucks, and that includes the cost of the six-pack.  Compare that to about $300 if you have an auto repair shop do the work.

Which sounds better to you?